3 Steps to Rejuvenate Old Plastic Baits

Sweaty, slimy swimbaits…yuck!

I hate it when plastic baits start getting that slimy, sweaty consistency! It usually happens as they get older or have been stored in a hot place (like the garage) for long periods. What’s happening here is the plastic starts to break down and leach out. In addition to the slimy feel, plastic baits often start giving off a chemical smell that I’m sure fish aren’t super fond of.

I used to chuck older plastics into the trash, but our resident bass guru, Big Fred Contaoi showed me a way to bring some life back into these babies.

Step One

First off, fill a bucket with hot, soapy water (I use only lemon dish soap for cleaning fishing lures).

Give the baits a good scrubbing in hot, soapy water

Step Two

Rinse thoroughly…

Robo Swimbaits in the Rinse Cycle!

Step Three

When the baits are all clean, dry them and then put them in sealed plastic containers.

Sealed Tupperware is good for storing baits in.

Before you seal the tubs for good, take your favorite oil-based scent and squirt a bunch of it onto your baits and mix them around to make sure they’re evenly covered. Fred does this with his swim baits and bass worms. Not only does the scent impregnate the plastic, but it also protects the baits.

A shot of your favorite scent…

Don’t forget to label your tubs…

A little Atlas Mike’s Sardine Oil marinade!

The real slick thing about coating your baits is that it keeps the colors from bleeding, so you can store mixed colors in the same container…

We haven’t tried this with every single type of plastic bait out there, but we’ve yet to have any issues with bleeding.

If you’re not going to use the baits immediately, store them in a cool place and flip the containers over every now and then to get the oil moving around…

Washed, lubed and ready for action!